This tool is designed to help early care and education (ECE) practitioners, policymakers, researchers, educators, and other professionals to deepen their understanding of Two-Generation policies and practices. A 2Gen approach provides the parents of children that ECE organizations serve with adult education and training for jobs and careers, and other support to improve their economic self-sufficiency. These innovations help parents to enhance and protect their children’s gains from participating in early care and education programs and, as a result, help ECE programs to improve their outcomes for children.

This survey is based on the promising practices, policies, and programs implemented by a number of ECE organizations and on lessons learned by researchers, policymakers, and thought-leaders in the field. It allows users to compare their thinking and actions with what is being tried across the U.S., and perhaps will inspire them to try new things. Your responses to each item will be kept confidential. But data from all respondents will be aggregated and used to help Ascend and its partners develop useful information, tools, and other products and services for ECE organizations following a 2Gen path.

Background on Early Care and Education and 2Gen

The premise for using a 2Gen approach in early care and education was articulated in a 2014 brief by Voices for Utah Children: “Breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty necessitates a two-generation approach that meets the needs of vulnerable children and their parents together. Evidence-based and effective interventions which promote a healthy pregnancy and lifestyle, effective parenting, parental education and training, self-sufficiency and early education can improve the economic prospects for the family, reduce child maltreatment and toxic stress, and improve long term educational and life outcomes for the child.”

Head Start, which serves more than 1 million children annually, has long recognized the importance of a 2Gen approach, as the National Head Start Association noted: “Children’s outcomes are deeply related to their family context; changes in parents’ education and income can cause changes in parent stress, home environment, and overall stability.” A 2012 report by the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources noted that “early childhood centers can provide an ideal context for implementing adult career and educational pathways while both parents and children are young.”

Evidence is accumulating that children perform better behaviorally and academically in families with stable employment, rising incomes, and increasing levels of education. However, low-income parents of children in ECE centers face numerous barriers to achieving economic security for their families.

A large majority of Americans recognize the logic and power of a 2Gen approach. A 2014 national bipartisan poll commissioned by Ascend found that 71 percent of adults polled agreed that “if we want to make sure low-income children are successful in their early learning, then we have to also invest in their parent’s economic well-being.”

Awareness of Parents as Economic Agents for Families and in the Community

Efforts to increase parents’ educational attainment and families’ economic self-sufficiency start with a data-based understanding of the parents/families' economic situation and the economic opportunities available to them in the local labor market. This requires identifying, gathering, and analyzing data, typically in partnership with local workforce training, education, and business- community organizations. A part of the information to be gathered about parents’ skills/education, previous work experience, and career motivations is to help gauge their readiness for a 2Gen investment.

Does your organization have the following information about the parents of enrolled children?

Which occupations/careers have “ladders” of education, training, and certifications that workers can follow from entry level to advanced career

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

Identification of leading employers within a sector

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

Does your organization know the following about its enrolled children?

Are they on track to be developmentally prepared for kindergarten

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

Do they receive regular comprehensive screening for health and well-being

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

What has been their progress on social, emotional, physical, and cognitive scales

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

Do they have special education status and are they receiving special education services

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

Have they experienced trauma and are they receiving services for the trauma

Yes, solid information is collectedand analyzed regularly

Yes, but the information is not collected regularly

Yes, but the information is not solid; we want to improve

No, but plan to collect it

No, and no plan to collect it

Economic Supports For Parents

A 2Gen approach provides parents with a range of services, anchored in education and training for jobs and careers, that help them to improve their economic standing, while also recognizing that certain non-economic supports—such as nutrition counseling or mental health services—also are essential. The approach is not just about short-term placement in a job; it seeks to build a parent’s readiness and capacity to follow an employment, career, or entrepreneurial pathway that has increasing and sustainable economic well-being.

Does your organization seek to provide any of the following economic-support services–either by itself or through a partner?

Career coaching to help participants ascertain goals and career plans, provide counseling, mentoring, and be an advocate, working with family-support staff

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Work readiness orientation to help parents establish self-esteem, self-respect, and self-pride

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Assistance in returning to local high school, alternative high school, or obtaining a GED

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Assistance in obtaining English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) education

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Upgrading of basic skills – reading and math for training and employment

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Family literacy

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Training for careers focused on universal competencies, like work ethics, appropriate dress and behavior in work environments

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Assistance with applications to 2- and 4-year colleges and with access to scholarships, grants, and loans for students

ECE organizations routinely engage with the parents of the children they serve, but in a 2Gen approach the engagement takes on a different aspect: the parents are engaged as economic agents for their families and for their children’s economic futures.

Does your organization or its partner organization(s):

Prepare parents for what to expect in job training and career development initiatives, how long it will take, and the financial implications for their families

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Co-develop with each parent an agreement about shared expectations

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Provide a family support-staff member who helps parents assess their family’s needs, identify family goals, work on their priorities, and deal with crises that arise

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Schedule classes and program activities for during daytime hours to coincide with the early childhood center’s hours.

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Schedule classes during evenings when child care is provided

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

To provide parents with a supportive environment, does your organization or its partners:

Include parent representatives on the organization’s leadership body, to help make decisions about program design, staffing, curriculum and more

Yes

Yes, but we need to do a better job

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Have staff with the cultural competencies and linguistic capabilities needed to engage diverse parents successfully

Yes

Yes, but we need to do a better job

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Find out if parents served see themselves as part of a supportive community, including other parents, teachers, support staff, and administrators

Yes

Yes, but we need to do a better job

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Partnering for 2Gen

Effective 2Gen strategies are rarely achieved through a single organization's efforts. Many ECE organizations decide to partner with other local organizations to provide parents with economic and other supports that will be a part of their 2Gen approach. Partnerships may be encouraged through incentives at the federal, state, and local levels.

Does your organization seek to provide the following 2Gen services for the parents–either by itself or through a partner?

Child care for younger siblings while parents are in class

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Help parents make child care arrangements when center not available

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Development of parenting skills and knowledge

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Improvement of the parent-child relationship

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Ongoing home visits from pregnancy to a young age child

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Improving the health of the parent and young child

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Reduction of toxic stresses in the family and community that could injure the child’s well-being

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Family literacy program

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Help parents to develop their children’s social competence and emotional regulation skills

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Develop parents’ advocacy/leadership skills

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, we do this through a partner organization

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to provide this

No, and no plan to provide it

Has your organization implemented collaborations with the following types of potential local partners:

With workforce development agencies and nonprofits

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

With 2- and 4-year colleges

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

With public libraries

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

With the Nurse Family Partnership (or similar program)

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

With local employers

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

With public schools

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

With neighborhood and community organizations

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Faith-based organizations

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Community health centers

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Dental health providers

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Mental health providers

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve the partnership

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

To increase the effectiveness of its 2Gen efforts, does your organization--by itself or through its partners--seek to...

Market participants to employers as skilled, competent workers that employers need, not as “disadvantaged” people needing jobs

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Co-locate parents’ education/training as much as possible with the site of their children’s ECD programming

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Anticipate that some parents may need to take survival jobs for short-term financial stability, and therefore provide support that positions them for better jobs in the short term even as they pursue longer-term development of skills for the workplace

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Prepare families for transition out of ECE and into the public school system

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Maintain relationships with families after their children have transitioned out of ECE so continued counseling and other support can be provided

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Screen for parents who are strongly motivated to work, already have some work experience, and exhibit strong interest in a career

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

Help parents find work – volunteer and/or paying – in the sector they are interested in during periods when class is not in session, to gain experience and advance their learning

Yes, we do this ourselves

Yes, through a partner

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but plan to do this

No, and no plan to do it

How does your organization assess the quality of partner organizations' performance?

Evaluating 2Gen Impacts

ECE organizations use traditional and non-traditional indicators to measure the impact of 2Gen approaches. The traditional approaches come from the education and workforce development fields, while the others seek to measure the effects on children in their programs.

In assessing the effectiveness of its efforts to help parents increase their families’ economic security, does your organization track and measure:

Completion rate for training/education cohorts

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but we plan to measure this

No, and no plan to do so

Cohorts’ pass rate on credentialing examinations

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but we plan to measure this

No, and no plan to do so

Employers’ satisfaction with trainees and graduates

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but we plan to measure this

No, and no plan to do so

Whether individuals obtain jobs that will provide greater earnings and more stable employment

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but we plan to measure this

No, and no plan to do so

Changes in the parents' income

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but we plan to measure this

No, and no plan to do so

Changes in the parents' job stability

Yes

Yes, but we want to improve

No, but we plan to measure this

No, and no plan to do so

Other indicators measured for 2Gen programs

If your organization has assessed its policies and programs to identify and address gender and/or racial and ethnic inequities, please describe how this was been done and what changes/improvements it resulted in.

Which indicators does your organization track to assess the effects on children of providing their parents’ with education, economic, and family supports? (If none, please enter that.)

For each item below indicate your level of interest:

Participating in an Ascend webinar series on 2Gen and Early Care and Education

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

Obtaining a reading list about 2Gen and Early Care and Education

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

Obtaining a set of reports about how 2Gen is being implemented in the Early Care and Education field

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

Learn more about how to make the case for undertaking 2Gen in early care and education organizations

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

Designing a learning process about 2Gen and Early Care and Education for your organization

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

Learning more about how to build partnerships with other organizations that can help your organization to design and implement a 2Gen approach

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

Learning more about how to assess outcomes/impacts of 2Gen programs and policies

Very interested, a priority

Interested, but not a priority

Not interested

If you have any additional comments or suggestions, please enter them below:

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